Bell work: Name as many forms of
energy as you can.
Partnership for Environmental Education and Rural Health
peer.tamu.edu
Objectives
• Learn about the different sources energy
• Understand how one form of energy is
transformed into another form
• Describe the difference between
renewable energy, non-renewable energy
and inexhaustible energy
Energy
• Energy is the ability to do work.
• We use energy for transportation, to heat and
cool our homes, to power our electronic
devices and many other things.
CH-113.0
Energy
• Law of Conservation of Energy - Energy is
neither created nor destroyed; it only changes
forms.
This field has devices designed to
generate electricity from lightning
by harvesting the energy from the
electrical discharge produced
from lightning.
CH-113.0
Energy Transformation
• Energy transformation is the process of
changing one form of energy into another.
Energy Transformation
Biomass in the form of wood
Energy from the sun is absorbed by trees and plants and stored as
chemical energy through a process called photosynthesis. When wood
from trees is burned, heat and light energy are released as those
chemical bonds are broken.
Biomass is the total quantity or weight of organisms in a given area.
Energy Transformation
Biomass in the form of dung
Energy from the sun is stored by plants via photosynthesis.
The plants are either eaten by humans, or they are eaten by
animals and dung is produced. Dung can be burned to
release heat and some light energy.
Energy Transformation
Fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas)
Energy from the sun is stored by plants as chemical energy
via photosynthesis. Plants are eaten by animals. Dead
plants and animals gradually rot and, over millions of years,
are compressed to make fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are
burned, creating heat and light energy plus emissions.
Energy Transformation
Wind power
Energy from the sun heats the atmosphere, causing
winds. The wind turns the turbines on windmills, which
generate electricity.
Energy Transformation
Wave energy
Energy from the sun heats the atmosphere, causing winds
and therefore waves. The waves drive turbines, which
generate electricity.
Energy Transformation
Solar power
Energy from the sun is collected and stored in photovoltaic cells to be
used as electricity. Alternately, flat-plate solar thermal collectors can be
used to store the sun's heat energy, which can be used directly, or to
heat water to make steam to drive a turbine to generate electricity.
Forms of Energy
Form of Energy
Biomass
Dung
Fossil Fuel
Wind
Waves
Solar
Primary Source
Ultimate Product
Forms of Energy
Form of Energy
Primary Source
Ultimate Product
Biomass
Sun
Heat/Light
Dung
Fossil Fuel
Wind
Waves
Solar
Forms of Energy
Form of Energy
Primary Source
Ultimate Product
Biomass
Sun
Heat/Light
Dung
Sun
Heat/Light
Fossil Fuel
Wind
Waves
Solar
Forms of Energy
Form of Energy
Primary Source
Ultimate Product
Biomass
Sun
Heat/Light
Dung
Sun
Heat/Light
Sun
Heat/Light
Emissions
Fossil Fuel
Wind
Waves
Solar
Forms of Energy
Form of Energy
Primary Source
Ultimate Product
Biomass
Sun
Heat/Light
Dung
Sun
Heat/Light
Fossil Fuel
Sun
Heat/Light
Emissions
Wind
Sun
Electricity
Waves
Solar
Forms of Energy
Form of Energy
Primary Source
Ultimate Product
Biomass
Sun
Heat/Light
Dung
Sun
Heat/Light
Fossil Fuel
Sun
Heat/Light
Emissions
Wind
Sun
Electricity
Waves
Sun
Electricity
Solar
Forms of Energy
Form of Energy
Primary Source
Ultimate Product
Biomass
Sun
Heat/Light
Dung
Sun
Heat/Light
Fossil Fuel
Sun
Heat/Light
Emissions
Wind
Sun
Electricity
Waves
Sun
Electricity
Solar
Sun
Electricity/Heat
Forms of Energy
• The sun is the primary source of energy
for most of the forms of energy that we
use in our daily lives.
• However, there are other forms of energy
that do not involve the sun.
1. Geothermal
2. Nuclear
3. Hydroelectric (although the sun does power
the water cycle that drives this form of energy)
Geothermal Energy
•
In volcanic areas, the rocks
heat the ground water. It rises
to the surface as hot water and
steam.
Geothermal Energy
•
In some places, deep wells can
be drilled down to the hot
rocks and cold water is
pumped down.
•
The water runs through
fractures in the rocks and is
heated up.
•
It returns to the surface as hot
water and steam.
Geothermal Energy
•
In both cases, the hot water
and steam are used to drive
turbines which generate
electricity.
Nuclear Energy
•
•
Nuclear fuels, like uranium, are the primary source of energy for
nuclear power.
These radioactive elements are involved in nuclear chain
reactions in the reactor core, which produce large amounts of
heat.
Nuclear Energy
•
The heat energy is used to boil water.
•
The kinetic energy in the expanding steam spins turbines, which
then drive generators to produce electricity.
Hydroelectric Energy
• Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by hydropower, i.e., the
production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling
or flowing water.
• Most hydroelectric power comes from the potential energy of
dammed water driving a water turbine and generator.
Hydroelectric Energy
• It is the most widely used form of renewable energy.
• A hydroelectric plant produces no direct waste, and doesn’t create
as much of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) as fossil fuel
powered energy plants.